It takes an incredibly powerful company to threaten the U.S. government in hopes of impacting a significant decision, but that's precisely what Microsoft is doing. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made headlines when he publicly attacked President Barack Obama's plan to cut tax breaks on U.S. companies' foreign profits, a plan which is currently awaiting Congressional approval.

Mr. Ballmer suggests that if the tax succeeds, Microsoft may begin a significant move out of the U.S., taking with it tax revenue and jobs. He states, "It makes U.S. jobs more expensive. We’re better off taking lots of people and moving them out of the U.S. as opposed to keeping them inside the U.S."

The plan, proposed by President Obama on May 4, seeks to help raise tax revenue and balance the budget by rolling back $190B USD in tax breaks for offshore companies over the next decade. Microsoft is not the first to oppose the measure -- the National Foreign Trade Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable are among the numerous others to voice their disapproval.

Previously, companies could defer paying corporate rates as high as 35 percent on most types of foreign profits, contingent that the company invests the money overseas. The idea was that foreign profits are not the domain of the U.S. President Obama disagrees, arguing that U.S. corporations' profits are U.S. earnings. He believes that by taxing foreign profits, companies will be more likely to invest in the U.S., rather than shelter their money overseas.

Thanks to the current provision Microsoft enjoyed a very low tax rate of only 26 percent in 2008 on its profits. A company report describes, "Our effective tax rates are less than the statutory tax rate due to foreign earnings taxed at lower rates."

Some, like Barry Bosworth, an economist in Washington at the Brookings Institution research center, accuse Microsoft and others of wrongdoing. He says the company has exploited the system, and expensive abuse that has cost our nation tax revenue and domestic investment. Indeed, Microsoft's shell game is a bit strange -- it typically develops products like Windows and then transfers the licenses for free to an Ireland subsidiary. This subsidiary then proceeds to sell them, free of U.S. taxes."

cool the solution is then to whack a massive import levy on the products of companies that willfully outsource to avoid paying due taxes.

oh and also remove consular and citizenship priveledges and protections from those execs (and their families) if they make such decisions.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 696887

You said, "remove consular and citizenship privileges and protections from those execs (and their families) if they make such decisions."

So you believe that the government has the right to strip Steve Balmer's CITIZENSHIP? The government can also strip his family members CITIZENSHIP too, according to you. Then you go on about how CITIZENSHIP is a PRIVLAGE. So if you were born in AnyTown, USA there is nothing wrong with being stripped of your INALIENABLE RIGHTS?

I like the "massive import tax" idea. Let small American startup companies grab the reigns and make REAL innovations for a change. Fuuuuck Microsloth.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 386744

You mean a trade tariff right? That would be the sane thing to do but the Communists are not going to rebuild America’s industry and so no new businesses will fill the void. Tariffs would have been just what the Doctor ordered combined with numerous small and midsized business loans to fill that vacuum.

You said, "remove consular and citizenship privileges and protections from those execs (and their families) if they make such decisions."

So you believe that the government has the right to strip Steve Balmer's CITIZENSHIP? The government can also strip his family members CITIZENSHIP too, according to you. Then you go on about how CITIZENSHIP is a PRIVLAGE. So if you were born in AnyTown, USA there is nothing wrong with being stripped of your INALIENABLE RIGHTS?

usa doom out of money out of ideas? no lets tax the taxes--frankly they should of never had loop holes to get there business out of the usa---who are these brilliant minds ruining our country? i mean running of course

Sending jobs overseas is EXACTLY what the Illuminati want. They can't get the guns away from the Americans, so they decided to just get rid of the Americans instead. If things continue as planned, In a few more years, Americans will just be a small handful of idiots sitting the corner waving a dirty blue flag.

Sending jobs overseas is EXACTLY what the Illuminati want. They can't get the guns away from the Americans, so they decided to just get rid of the Americans instead. If things continue as planned, In a few more years, Americans will just be a small handful of idiots sitting the corner waving a dirty blue flag.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 550635

You mean Communists. In any event you can view matters as though the USA has been taken over and stripped for parts in a hostile takeover. This is the whole function of Communism. Microsoft is going to be penalized for staying so they might as well go. You don't abuse businesses that create thousands of jobs and make the software in a great deal of the government's hardware.

Much as I'm not a fan of Obama, I don't like the idea of corporations strong-arming the government. I say they announce that all federal govt. computers will be running on Linux by the end of the year. See how fast Balmer has that nice tall glass of STFU...

It takes an incredibly powerful company to threaten the U.S. government in hopes of impacting a significant decision, but that's precisely what Microsoft is doing. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made headlines when he publicly attacked President Barack Obama's plan to cut tax breaks on U.S. companies' foreign profits, a plan which is currently awaiting Congressional approval.

Mr. Ballmer suggests that if the tax succeeds, Microsoft may begin a significant move out of the U.S., taking with it tax revenue and jobs. He states, "It makes U.S. jobs more expensive. We’re better off taking lots of people and moving them out of the U.S. as opposed to keeping them inside the U.S."

The plan, proposed by President Obama on May 4, seeks to help raise tax revenue and balance the budget by rolling back $190B USD in tax breaks for offshore companies over the next decade. Microsoft is not the first to oppose the measure -- the National Foreign Trade Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable are among the numerous others to voice their disapproval.

Previously, companies could defer paying corporate rates as high as 35 percent on most types of foreign profits, contingent that the company invests the money overseas. The idea was that foreign profits are not the domain of the U.S. President Obama disagrees, arguing that U.S. corporations' profits are U.S. earnings. He believes that by taxing foreign profits, companies will be more likely to invest in the U.S., rather than shelter their money overseas.

Thanks to the current provision Microsoft enjoyed a very low tax rate of only 26 percent in 2008 on its profits. A company report describes, "Our effective tax rates are less than the statutory tax rate due to foreign earnings taxed at lower rates."

Some, like Barry Bosworth, an economist in Washington at the Brookings Institution research center, accuse Microsoft and others of wrongdoing. He says the company has exploited the system, and expensive abuse that has cost our nation tax revenue and domestic investment. Indeed, Microsoft's shell game is a bit strange -- it typically develops products like Windows and then transfers the licenses for free to an Ireland subsidiary. This subsidiary then proceeds to sell them, free of U.S. taxes."